Whispers From the Past
by Cairdiuil Paiste
Summary: Some memories should never be forgotten. Nostalgia can blur faults and hatred can poison recollections. Memories are full of what could have been and what will never be. Deep in the throes of the Second Wizarding War, one man remembers the first. The tale of Lily and James, the Marauders and a bygone Hogwarts told by one Severus Snape. A series of One-Shots.


**Author's Note**

**I've been reading a good few HP fanfics lately and decided to make an addition of my own. Plotting out a proper long LJ fic is not what I can do at the moment so instead I'll do one-shots through the eyes of one Severus Snape. They will probably range all over the place with a pretty familiar event up first. This incident is a major game-changer in most good LJ fics and seems apt to be the first one-shot in this collection.**

**R.I.P. Uncle Vernon :'(**

There were certain memories that should never be forgotten.

Severus Snape gazed at the Pensieve. With an escalation in the Second Wizarding War, he had decided to use Dumbledore's old relic to keep safe the memories he wished to hide from Lord Voldemort.

Unfortunately many of his favourite memories involved a very irritating and infuriating presence.

Potter.

Hogwart's headmaster reclined in the chair behind the desk, his predecessor's tinkling machines whizzing away, making soft noises in the night. The October full moon shone brightly outside, illuminating the grounds and reminding him of another full moon, many years ago…

* * *

Severus Snape's sixteen year old self strode quickly through the deserted halls. He had finally finished a tiresome five and a quarter foot long essay on animagi. It had only vexed him. Transfiguration had never been a firm favourite anyway. Roll on his 'extra-curricular' studies.

Bright light spilled out of the Great Hall, students enjoying their dinner and being away from the monotonous school slog. Fifth Year in particular was a pain. The teachers had been piling on the schoolwork and it was only January.

A burst of laughter from a group of fifth year lions shook him out of his thoughts. A boy with aristocratic good looks was roaring at his bespectacled, messy haired friend. A smaller chubby boy gazed in admiration at them both. They were walking out of the Hall and were clearly heading to Gryffindor tower.

"We'll see you later so, all right Pete?" said Potter, waving good bye and following the ever impatient Sirius Black away. Pettigrew's face fell as Black didn't even bother acknowledging him.

The fattest Marauder went to a side passage and Snape followed him to a painting of some fruits.

Snape tapped his wand against Pettigrew's skull. "Nice night for a stroll, isn't it?" he sneered.

Pettigrew whimpered. "Oh not again."

Half an hour later Pettigrew resembled an oozing marshmallow stuck to the ceiling and Snape strolled away, feeling pleased to have taken at least some of his resentment out on the Marauders (just not the one he really wanted).

He checked his watch and whistled. Back to the library it seemed. Not that he minded considering his companion.

"All right, Sev?" smiled Lily Evans, happy to look away from her Transfiguration book.

Snape nodded in reply. "Finished that essay yet?" he said, pointing to the book.

The redhead put her head in her hands and groaned. "No. Sometimes I just want to throw this book, Merlin, this entire subject if possible, into the lake. It can be so ruddy difficult."

"You could always ask me to help you, Evans," came a smug voice.

The lioness looked up and scowled. "Oh why not, Potter. It's not as if you'll want something in return."

Snape glared hatefully at James Potter as the boy threw back his head and laughed. "Read my mind Evans. Hogsmeade next Saturday? I can make a space in my busy social calendar."

Lily groaned and tossed her books into her bag. "That's it. I'm leaving."

Snape quickly fumbled for his things, quills and parchment tumbling off the table. "I'll come with. That is, um, if that's okay with you, I mean."

His friend (maybe one day more than that) bit her lip. "Um, I mean the only place Potter can't follow me, Sev. My dormitory."

The back of Snape's neck flushed red with embarrassment. He mumbled an indistinct reply, feeling foolish.

Potter gave Snape a wary look and slung Lily's bag over his shoulder. "Well, then I shall escort you there, Evans. My mother considers me to be the epitome of an honourable gentleman and I do not intend to disappoint her. Neither should such a lovely lady as yourself walk in the dark alone." At Lily's snort he added, "You never know what's hiding in the shadows, Miss Evans."

The subsequent glare in Snape's direction left it very clear who Potter thought the shadows were masking.

Lily scowled again (but managed to do it quite endearingly). "I'm not going to let you escort me anywhere."

Her fellow housemate smirked. "Well I do have your wand…" Completely ignoring Snape he ran away, stopping by the door for one last quip, "Knew you'd run after me one day, Evans!"

The redhead groaned and turned apologetically to Snape. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sev. Potions partners, right?"

"Yeah, yeah sure," he replied, noticing her attention had already shifted back to Potter, who was leaning over the Madam Pince's desk and waving enthusiastically with Lily's wand. A spike of hatred twisted his stomach.

Lily crept up behind the Quidditch player and almost succeeded in reclaiming her wand. Snape slumped back into his chair with a sigh as the Gryffindors ran away from the library.

"Forget something, Snape?" came a growl.

The snake stiffened as a wand poked the back of his skull. What goes around seems to come back and hit one in the face apparently.

Sirius Orion Black leaned closer and snarled in his ear. "What did Pete ever do to you, eh?"

"Maybe because he _exists_, Black. Oh I'm sorry, don't like the response? You seem to use it enough on me."

"Leave him _alone_ Snape." While the lion's voice seemed to tremble, his wand hand seemed as steady as ever.

Snape lowered his voice. "Think I haven't noticed Lupin disappear on a full moon either?"

"…"

"I will find out, Black. It's only a matter of time before I get enough evidence to expel Lupin and the rest of your pesky gang," Snape sneered.

"…"

Snape considered the distance from his hand to his wand.

_Gently does it…_

"Tell you what Snape, I'll end this. I am sick and tired of your interference in my mate's lives. That last curse on James was uncalled for-"

"He _smiled_ at her!"

"-she's also not your property. Now all you need to do is take a stick a poke a knot on the Weeping Willow. Then you'll find out everything you want to know."

Snape spun around, dumbfounded.

Black smirked. "Go on. What's holding you back?"

Snape rose from the table in a daze, rushing from the library to the sound of Sirius Black's laughter.

_You'll find out everything you want to know._

**Author's Note**

**I'll update soon enough (Easter holidays are great) and may finish the full moon fiasco arc in one or maybe two more posts. I apologise for any typos (please do not hesitate in pointing them out) and will appreciate any views you may have.**

**Happy Easter!**

**Cairdiuil Paiste**


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